Senior Operations Manager

CRS JOB ADVERT – INTERNAL/EXTERNAL

WOMEN ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

This position is open to Sierra Leonean nationals only

CRS is recruiting for Position: X 1 – Senior Operations Manager.

If you are interested and your profile matches the requirements, please read the below job descriptions, and follow the instructions to submit your application package.

Job Title: Senior Operations Manager

Department: Operations

Reports To: Country Manager

Country: Catholic Relief Services Sierra Leone

Duty Location: CRS Freetown

About Us

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Job Summary:

As a member of the Country Program (CP) Senior Management Team (SMT), the Senior Operations Manager provides strategic leadership, oversight, and accountability for core operations functions, including Human Resources (HR), Administration (Facilities, Assets, Travel), Fleet, Logistics and Supply Chain, ICT, Risk and Compliance, and Security, in support of the CRS mission to serve the poor and vulnerable.

The role ensures efficient, compliant, and high-quality operational service delivery in support of CRS programming. The Senior Operations Manager is accountable for resource stewardship, strengthening internal controls, proactive risk management (including security and fraud prevention), and continuous systems improvement. The position shapes and implements operational strategies that enable program quality, efficiency, and sustainable growth.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for all operations functions, ensuring systems, structures, and staffing effectively support current and future program needs.
• Contribute to Senior Management Team decision making through analysis and recommendations on operational performance, risks, and resource allocation, and represent CRS as required.
• Lead planning, integration, coordination, and monitoring of day-to-day operations to ensure timely, cost-effective, and excellence in service delivery, adapting support to complex programming needs.
• Establish and monitor service delivery standards, KPIs, and workflows, and address operational bottlenecks to improve efficiency and resource utilization.
• Oversee pooled cost budget management, expense approval processes, and cost control, ensuring compliance with CRS and donor requirements, and promote effective use of ERP systems.
• Analyze expenditure trends and collaborate with Program and Finance teams to align operational capacity with budgets and implementation plans, ensuring value for money and optimal resource use.
• Lead and continuously strengthen internal controls and compliance frameworks, ensuring adherence to CRS policies, donor requirements, and local laws through regular reviews and checks.
• Ensure audit readiness and oversee audit responses, driving timely resolution and institutionalization of corrective actions.
• Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate operational, compliance, and fraud risks in collaboration with Risk and Compliance functions.
• Serve as Security Focal Point, ensuring the development, updating, and implementation of security management systems, and enforce staff adherence to health, safety, and security policies.
• Promote safeguarding and ensure implementation of CRS safeguarding standards across operations and partner relationships.
• Lead workforce planning and ensure staffing structures align with program priorities, while enforcing HR policies that promote accountability, performance, and staff development.
• Supervise and develop operations staff through clear objective setting, performance management, coaching, and recruitment, fostering a high-performance and inclusive work environment.
• Drive continuous improvement of operational systems and processes, promote a culture of learning, and strengthen capacity across teams and partners.
• Champion digital transformation and innovation initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Lead implementation of operational aspects of the Country Program’s Climate Action strategy, improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Finance, Accounting, or another relevant field. Masters preferred, including significant management responsibility.
• Minimum of 7 years work experience in Operations (human resources, logistics, administration, procurement, security, officer/support level position with progressive responsibilities.
• Additional education may substitute for some experience; additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Proven experience in leading multi-functional teams and managing complex operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of multiple public donors’ regulations, including The United Nations, The US Government, The European Union, and The World Bank Group, highly preferred.
• Experience in an international NGO environment, preferably at senior level.
• Strong knowledge of financial systems, budgeting, and expenditure analysis.
• Familiarity with Enterprise Resource planning (ERP) /accounting systems (for example, Oracle).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Understanding financial systems, including budgeting and expense analysis experience.
• Knowledge of procurement and office administration/management issues.
• Ability to represent the agency at high levels.
• Knowledge of Oracle ERP or similar financial reporting software.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.
• Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to work collaboratively.
• Team leadership abilities.
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.

Required Language: Fluency in written and oral English.

Travel: Must be willing and able to travel domestically and internationally up to 25 % of time.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Procurement Manager
• Senior Administrative Officer and Security focal point
• Human Resources Officer

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Senior Management Team, Chief of Party, Project Managers, Program Teams, Finance Manager, Head of Operations Liberia, Deputy Regional Director/ Operations, Regional Risk and Compliance team.
• External: Sub-recipients, Local and International Partners, Suppliers, Donors, Government.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

• Personal Accountability– consistently takes responsibilities for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity– consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust– shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others– works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn– seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change– continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others– builds the capacity of staff to achieve their potential, and to take ownership and accountability for operational and program results.